Louisville Volunteer Deploys to Iowa

As severe storms continue to plague Kentuckiana, communities across the nation are dealing with wildfires, tornadoes and flooding. One such area is Council Bluffs, Iowa. There, flooding has been so prolonged that the local newspaper created a special website for flood stories and tips. On Friday, local disaster volunteer Mike Sewell will join Council Bluffs residents in their flood relief efforts.

Mike became a Red Cross volunteer in 2009, just before the August 4th flood. Since then, he's worked on four other disaster operations including last month's flooding in Paducah, KY. When there's not a disaster going on, Mike stays busy by taking courses in disaster training, working as a logistics associate and serving as a member of the Disaster Action Team (DAT), a job that allows him to perform his favorite Red Cross activity--Client Casework.

Mike working on a disaster relief operation in Paducah, KY in May of 2011.

Just 15 hours away from completing his BA in Social Work, Mike has always wanted to work in a field that offers lots of social interaction and the opportunity to help others. With Client Casework, he gets do both. He is the first responder when a family is affected by a home fire or other disaster. He helps them with their immediate emergency needs including food, shelter, and--a crucial part of recovery--emotional support.

While in Iowa, Mike will work in any number of areas including damage assessment, client casework, bulk distribution or warehousing. Since this is his first time responding outside of Kentucky, he is a little nervous about his trip, but anxious to put his training to good use.

"I'm looking forward to serving clients and meeting new people," Mike said. "I always make friends when I go out. That's one of the reasons I like going."

For updates on the Council Bluffs flooding along with other Red Cross relief efforts, visit the Disaster Online Newsroom.

Louisville Tiffany Circle Nationally Recognized

Earlier this month, members of the Louisville Area Chapter Tiffany Circle Society of Women Leaders attended the annual Tiffany Circle Summit in Washington, D.C. Each year the summit offers an opportunity for Tiffany Circle members to gather and share best practices.

Co-Chairs Jill Howard and Mary Rivers were joined by first year members Diane Davis, Mimi Heuser and Kathy McHargue at the two-day event which offered speeches from former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, Ambassador of Japan Ichiro Fujisaki and a performance by country singer Wynonna Judd.

Louisville members received a special surprise during their trip when they were honored with the “Best Practices for a Mid-Size Chapter” award. The women have worked hard this past year, generating more than $650,000 for American Red Cross services.


“It was great to be able to show new donors how valuable the Louisville Chapter is nationwide,” said Tiffany Circle Member and chapter liaison Diane Davis. She attributes their success to seeking guidance from chapters with more experience.

The Tiffany Circle is a society of women leaders and philanthropists who each invest $10,000 annually to their local American Red Cross chapter. Members of the Tiffany Circle provide living examples of Red Cross virtues in their local communities, by ensuring that the Red Cross has the ability to help people prevent, prepare for and respond to life's emergencies.

The Louisville Tiffany Circle plans to have their annual meeting July 11th. There they will go over funds and plan activities for the upcoming fiscal year. For more information on the Tiffany Circle, please contact Diane Davis at dianed@louisville-redcross.org.

One Number, One Call Center, One Red Cross

For several years, the Louisville Area Chapter has acted as a call center hub for hundreds of Red Cross chapters across the U.S. When military members needed to return home for an emergency such as the loss of a loved one or the birth of a child, it is likely that they were assisted by a caseworker in Louisville.

Today, Monday, June 13, our call center will become one of four in the world, responsible for supporting the American Red Cross Emergency Call Center Enterprise (ECCE). The four centers—located in Louisville; Fort Sill, OK; San Diego and Springfield, MA—will serve 1.4 million active duty military members and their families along with members of the National Guard and Reserves.

Before the call center consolidation, the Louisville Area Chapter provided service for many chapters across the U.S. Areas served by the LAC are marked in the map above by a red dot or outline.

Along with streamlining the call centers, military families will now be able to use one number to send an urgent message to a service member. That new number is 1-877-272-7337. The number is toll free and can be used worldwide.

The transition is meant to improve service delivery to the military members and families seeking assistance, as well as allow chapters more time to focus on military outreach programs. For more on American Red Cross Emergency Communications Services, visit www.redcross.org.

Safe and Well

Since March 31, the American Red Cross has responded to 25 large disasters across the United States. That statistic was true before this past weekend when Mother Nature struck once again, spawning tornadoes in Kansas, Minnesota and Missouri. Like the tornado that struck Alabama almost one month ago, the tornado that hit Joplin, MO left behind destruction and many fatalities.

Disasters like these often lead to the loss of power and means of communication, making it a challenge to check in on loved ones in affected areas. To help alleviate this problem, the American Red Cross developed the Safe and Well website. There, individuals can register themselves as “safe and well” following a domestic disaster. The website is accessible via computers and smart phones.

Once individuals have registered, they have the option of entering a brief custom message which can include information on how loved ones can contact them. Registrants also have the option of sharing the custom message via Facebook and Twitter, making the site a one-stop shop for notifying loved ones of your safety. When registration is complete, loved ones can then search for those affected on the website.

The Safe and Well website is a great tool during a disaster, but it’s important to spread the word before disaster hits. Please visit redcross.org to learn more about Safe and Well and please share with your friends and family.

Across the country

Here flood waters rise in West Point, KY, one of the Kentuckiana areas hit hardest by extensive rain in April.

The month of April lived up to its showery reputation this year, causing destruction throughout the U.S. by way of flooding and severe storms. Workers from the American Red Cross Louisville Area Chapter are responding, not only at home, but throughout Kentucky and Alabama.

In Paducah, KY, flooding from the Ohio has kept residents out of their homes and Red Cross workers from completing damage assessment in the hardest hit areas. A shelter opened on April 25th and has hosted at least 19 people each night. Many Red Cross workers from the Louisville Area Chapter have deployed to Paducah to provide support in areas including damage assessment, client casework and fundraising. In the photo to the right, Bill Franz from LATA Kentucky presents a $6,600 donation on behalf of LATA Kentucky and its management team to Diane Davis (third from left), senior philanthropy advisor, and Kerry Graul (fifth from left), site director, of the American Red Cross surrounded by members of the American Red Cross team in Paducah, KY.

LAC volunteers, Paul Stensrud and David Vandermullen travelled to Cullman, Alabama in a Red Cross Emergency Communications Response Vehicle (ECRV). The vehicle is equipped to set up emergency communications in areas where power and phone lines are out of service. Entire communities remain without power after tornadoes ripped through the state in late April. The vehicle will allow the Red Cross disaster operation to adequately provide assistance to those affected by the disaster.

As the Midwest flooding and tornadoes in the South have proven, disaster can strike at any time. Please prepare yourself and your family before disaster hits. Visit www.redcross.org for more disaster preparedness tips.